It's Thanksgiving break and that means one thing...final exams are just around the corner! Most students will have about one to two weeks of classes before final exams start and the pressure is high.
Here are my top tips for a successful final exam week:
Make a calendar of your final deadlines for each class with the associated assignment. Some "finals" may start before the official final exam period of your university.
Research your college's final exam policies. For example, many schools will require instructors to work with students if they have more than two finals scheduled on the same day. However, it is the student's responsibility to contact the instructor and request a change. You may be able to reschedule an exam to spread them out if needed.
Understand the nature of the "final" for each course: Paper? Project - group or individual? Exam - comprehensive or not? These different types of finals will require different types of preparation, time, and work to accomplish.
Once you have your calendar laid out and understand each "final", you are ready to create your study/work schedule to complete everything in a timely manner that sets you up for success. Do NOT cram. It's never the best option. Whether your final is a paper, project, or exam, you need to plan to work on each over several days. To put in your best work, you want time to create and study, reflect, and learn portions of material in manageable chunks.
Attend any final exam review offered by your professor or tutoring center. Before you attend, review your notes and prepare questions so you can make the most of the review time with your professor/TA.
Keep up your self-care. Make sure you eat, exercise, and sleep during this time. Enjoy some social time. Build this into your schedule. Taking care of your basic needs will help you to be productive and think clearly.
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